Row erupts in Delhi BJP over joining of 'tainted' officer who was forced to retire

The joining of a former MCD engineer, who was forced to retire on the directions of the Lt Governor for action against "tainted" officers in various departments of city government, has stoked a controversy in the party.

Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said he had no information about the joining but added that the retired engineer will be removed from the party if the allegations are found true.

Sharafat Ali, who retired as an assistant engineer with North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), joined Delhi's unit of the BJP at the party's Pant Marg office in presence of several party leaders on Tuesday.

"I had no information about any such joining but if it is found that he was forced to retire from the MCD for being tainted or inefficient, we will remove him in the next 24 hours," Tiwari told PTI.

He also said that a process for screening new entrants will be developed to prevent "unwanted" persons to join the BJP.

"Such persons joining the BJP is against the Prime Minister's resolve to weed out corruption from the country. Ali should not have been allowed to join thee BJP and those responsible for bringing him in the party fold should be held accountable for it," said a senior Delhi BJP leader seeking anonymity.

Ali joined in presence of Delhi BJP's vice president Shazia Ilmi, minority cell president Mohammad Haroon, and media head Ashok Goel.

"I do not know Ali. I was not even part of his joining programme. I was asked by some party leaders to be there as I had gone there for some work," Ilmi said.

In July, Lt Governor Anil Baijal had directed Delhi's chief secretary, vice chairman of the DDA, police commissioner and municipal commissioners to identify "tainted" officers and "compulsorily retire them".

Baijal had said the move was aimed at weeding out "dead wood" and "dark sheep", and eliminate corruption from government functioning.

An order was issued by NDMC commissioner Varsha Joshi on October 31, for compulsory retirement of Ali and 38 other engineers of the municipal corporation.

The order stated, "It is indeed in public interest not to retain Sharafat Ali any further in municipal services and to retire him compulsorily with immediate effect under fundamental rule 56(j) and rule 48(1)(b) of CCS Pension Rule, 1972."